Kate Middleton Honors Queen’s 73-Year Marriage With Diamond Necklace At Prince Philip’s Funeral

Kate Middleton wore a very special necklace to the funeral of Prince Philip at St. George’s chapel on Saturday morning. The Duchess of Cambridge, who arrived wearing a black Roland Mouret dress and fascinator, was seen wearing a diamond and pearl necklace that was on loan from Queen Elizabeth.

The striking piece of jewelry was once worn by Princess Diana in 1982 when Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands arrived for a state visit, but it was originally fashioned for the Queen.

WINDSOR, ENGLAND – APRIL 17: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge during the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor Castle on April 17, 2021 in Windsor, England. Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark was born 10 June 1921, in Greece. He served in the British Royal Navy and fought in WWII. He married the then Princess Elizabeth on 20 November 1947 and was created Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, and Baron Greenwich by King VI. He served as Prince Consort to Queen Elizabeth II until his death on April 9 2021, months short of his 100th birthday. His funeral takes place today at Windsor Castle with only 30 guests invited due to Coronavirus pandemic restrictions. (Photo by Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images)

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The so-called Japanese Pearl Choker is a four-strand necklace with a central diamond clasp that was commissioned by the Queen and made from cultured pearls presented to her by the Japanese government. According to Her Majesty’s Jewel Vault, the Queen made her first state visit to Japan in 1975 and the choker was in use by the early 1980s.

Queen Elizabeth wore it on several notable occasions, before loaning it to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 – 1997) at Westminster Pier ready to greet Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands as she arrives on her state visit, London, 16th November 1982. (Photo by Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

But there’s another special fact here. This isn’t the first time that the Duchess of Cambridge wore the gorgeous choker. She previously wore the necklace to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s 70th anniversary dinner in 2017, also held at Windsor Castle, to celebrate their long-lasting marriage.

BANGLADESH – NOVEMBER 16: Queen Elizabeth II wears a four strand diamond and pearl choker with ‘Granny’s Tiara’ to an engagement in Bangladesh (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

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Perhaps Kate’s necklace, which she’d worn to their anniversary, was a bigger statement about the incredible love that the monarch and her husband shared over the course of their lives.

PHOTOS: Prince Philip’s Funeral 

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Prince Philip’s Funeral In Photos

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